Chapter 884

As Ohara stood with her back against the door, her eyes widened.

"Fortunately, she never became one of the magic tower's puppets," Ian added casually.

Unable to take her eyes off Lily, Ohara stammered, "When you say she was nearly complete... Do you mean every procedure succeeded exactly as intended?"

"Probably. They kept babbling about the top floor and wouldn't even let me touch her," Ian answered matter-of-factly.

Only then did Ohara begin moving forward, letting out a breathless gasp. "The top floor... Good heavens... then that really means—"

"Whoa there. That's far enough." Miguel cut in at that very moment, stepping between Ohara and Lily.

His eyes twitching slightly, he extended his prosthetic arm toward Ohara and continued, "You'll scare her if you approach wearing that kind of expression. Trying to give the poor girl a heart attack? She's already suffered enough at the hands of spellcasters."

Blinking as though she had only just realized it, Ohara lowered her head slightly. "You're right. That was rude of me."

Miguel snorted. Turning toward Lily, Ian asked, "So then. Want to introduce yourselves first, Lily?"

Lily nodded without hesitation and lightly tapped Miguel's back.

Still eyeing Ohara suspiciously, Miguel clicked his tongue before stepping aside.

"So your name is Lily... I see." Speaking carefully once more, Ohara finally approached her.

Then she placed a hand over her chest and bent her knees slightly in greeting. "My name is Ohara. I'm a Gray High Mage... a fugitive, and a criminal."

"And also your benefactor, Lily," added Ian.

As Lily turned toward him, he picked up a shriveled talisman that looked as though it had been made from a severed monkey's hand and said, "Ohara is the one who told me where the magic tower was."

Casting Ian a gentle glance, Ohara looked back down at Lily and continued, "That's true, but that doesn't mean all my sins have vanished. So even if you don't want to speak with me, I'll understand. In truth, you even have the right to kill me. If that's what you want, I'll accept it."

Was that really necessary?

Ian clicked his tongue.

Lily was more than capable of killing someone without blinking an eye.

If it comes to that... I'll have to stop her.

Even as he tossed the monkey-hand talisman into the reject pile, his gaze never left Lily.

Elia continued sorting items without stopping. Miguel also watched with tension in his eyes.

At length, Lily bent her knees and returned the greeting.

"Thank you, Lily. But tell me, are you unable to speak at all?"

Only then did a faint smile appear on Ohara's face as she crouched down before the girl. Her tone was every bit as cautious as her expression.

Instead of answering, Lily opened her mouth wide. The faint smile on Ohara's face immediately stiffened.

Miguel wrinkled the bridge of his nose and smacked his lips.

Letting out a low sigh, Ohara slowly nodded. "So suppressing her emotions wasn't enough.... Then again, that place is filled with those who couldn't rest until they eliminated everything they deemed unnecessary...."

There was guilt in her eyes, along with an unavoidable trace of curiosity.

After a brief hesitation, Ohara carefully extended a hand toward Lily and asked, "If it's alright with you, may I examine your body?"

Without hesitation, Lily undid the fastening cord of the cloak she was wearing.

As the cloak slid from her shoulders, Miguel grimaced and spun around. "For heaven's sake.... Kid, what are you doing stripping like that?"

Lily had already begun removing the clothes she wore beneath the cloak as well. Quickly spreading his arms, Miguel held out the edges of his cloak like a curtain to block the view.

"No matter how little shame you have, you absolutely cannot do that in front of other people from now on. Understood?"

Chuckling softly, Ohara stepped behind the makeshift screen formed by Miguel's cloak. "How considerate of you.... Then please excuse me for a moment, Priest."

Even while continuing her sorting work, Elia kept tilting her head from side to side as though desperately trying to peek past it.

Spellcasters....

The sight alone was enough to make Ian slowly shake his head.

As he resumed appraising magical artifacts with his usual indifference, Ohara's voice drifted from behind the cloak, filled with awe.

"Amazing… The circuits are incredibly intricate and remarkably efficient. Engraving spells of such a high level and still having them function without interference.... To advance the technology this far, how many lives must have been sacrificed—"

"That's enough." Ian cut her off with a dry laugh.

She was brushing dangerously close to forbidden territory again. A faint glow tinged with heat had already begun to seep through the edge of Miguel's cloak.

"I told you to be careful. Save those kinds of discussions until after you've entered the tower."

"Compared to the suffering this child endured, something like this is nothing. To withstand spell circuits of this caliber, she must have gone through truly horrific things," Ohara answered a beat later.

Taking a deep breath as though steadying herself, she continued, "Still, I'm glad you survived, Lily. I'm truly glad...."

Improvement: Ian glanced toward Miguel's shoulder as the heat and light gradually faded and added, "The tower is full of others who've suffered horrific things. Not just the attendants. The ones on the uppermost floor, too. So take care of them and guide them well. Lily too."

"Huh?"

Elia and Miguel turned their heads one after the other.

Lily also peeked out from beside the cloak.

Furrowing his brow, Miguel asked, "You mean to send Lily back beneath that place?"

"It's the safest option. There are plenty of others in similar circumstances there, so she won't be treated like some oddity."

Ian tossed a palm-sized bronze disc toward Elia, then met Lily's eyes. "I already gave you several chances to leave for somewhere else. You brought this on yourself."

Puffing out her cheeks, Lily pressed her lips tightly together and slipped back behind the cloak. She clearly didn't refuse because of the promise she'd made before, but that didn't mean she liked the idea.

Of course, Ian didn't so much as blink.

Now that she'll have a guardian too, this is the best solution.

He had no desire to keep dragging her around, but he didn't want to leave her in Orendel or send her North, either. Either option would leave her exposed to danger, or worse, attract the attention of ambitious people who would covet what she was.

Some part of the modern self still lingering within him simply couldn't accept that.

Without revealing any of those thoughts, Ian looked toward Ohara, who was standing up.

"She may be a little lacking when it comes to emotions, but she's intelligent and naturally talented. You'll probably enjoy teaching her," said Ian.

A peculiar smile appeared on Ohara's lips. "Understood, Tower Master. I'll do my utmost to teach her."

Miguel muttered uncertainly, "No... even so...."

Ian chuckled softly. "Don't look so disappointed. I'm not saying Lily will be locked away. You'll be heading North and then returning near the tower yourself."

Miguel paused and asked, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Dusting off his hands, Ian continued, "Ohara's exceptionally skilled at enchantment craftsmanship. If she works together with Northern craftsmen, they'll be able to produce high-quality magical artifacts and enchanted equipment."

"Oh?"

"There are craftsmen all over the place near the temple, aren't there? Get some workers to help as well and build a small forge near the tower."

Listening with growing interest, Miguel eventually nodded. "Now that you mention it, there are plenty of trees nearby and a large lake as well. It would make for a pretty good location. And it's not all that far from the North."

"Though the first step would be for me to produce proper blueprints. And of course, I'd need everyone involved to swear confidentiality oaths before any of that could happen," Ohara added from behind him. It sounded as though she was helping Lily get dressed again.

Smacking his lips, Miguel added, "People will be lining up to volunteer, which means sorting through them will be a job in itself. My head already hurts just thinking about it. Damn it...."

"I have to send a report to the Acting Authority anyway. I’ll just include it there. Lucy will make the preparations in advance. All you have to do is act as a guide."

"Oh, you'll do that for me?" Miguel's expression brightened immediately at Ian's addition. The prospect of making a difficult round trip over a long and dangerous route didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Shrugging, Ian shifted his gaze past Miguel's shoulder and continued, "Those people aren't exactly known for their patience. Do you think you'll have enough time to organize the tower and draw up blueprints? We're talking about enchanted equipment, after all."

Spellcraft was one of the most difficult disciplines in the world. That was precisely why most magical equipment only incorporated lower-tier spells.

Ohara, now standing upright again, nodded without hesitation. "Basic designs won't be a problem. If I put in the effort, I may even be able to prepare some higher-level designs. Whether the craftsmen can actually reproduce them is another matter, of course...."

Looking toward the back of Miguel's head, she smiled faintly. "Though if we're talking about dwarven craftsmen, I suppose there's little reason to worry."

"Of course not. They might struggle for a little while, but they'll adapt quickly. If anything, they'll probably start asking for something even more difficult," Miguel answered with complete confidence.

Nodding, Ian walked over to Elia's side. "Then that's settled. I'll connect you with the Autonomous Territory, so make sure you're charging properly for your work. The tower has to eat too."

Ohara's smile deepened. "Of course. Mages don't work for free."

Elia looked at Ian and asked, "But in the end, isn’t all of that your money? You govern both the North and the Gray Magic Tower."

Ian settled down beside her and answered, "Money means nothing if it just sits in one place. It has to circulate."

Elia nodded with newfound understanding. "Ah, so the circulation itself is what's important...."

Her eyes carried the look of someone who had just discovered an entirely new perspective.

While Ian silently reviewed the items she had already sorted, Ohara stepped around Miguel and said, "Come to think of it, my introduction is overdue, Priest. My name is Ohara Pandel."

Lowering the arms he had been holding out wide like a screen, Miguel nodded. "I'm Miguel. I've already heard the basics about you."

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other often. I look forward to working with you."

"Well... likewise."

As Lily emerged once more, now wearing her cloak again, Miguel rotated his arms as though working out stiffness in his shoulders.

Whatever reservations he had felt toward Ohara had clearly faded considerably.

Smiling warmly, Ohara added, "Your prosthetic arm is quite impressive. Is it the work of dwarf craftsmen?"

Tilting her chin slightly toward it, she glanced at the arm.

Still rolling his shoulder, Miguel grinned. "You recognized it immediately. That's right. People capable of making something like this aren't the sort you need to worry about."

Nodding, Ohara looked at him. "I see… Indeed. If you'd like, I could design spell circuits for the prosthetic."

After proudly examining the prosthetic with his eyes, Miguel shrugged. "No need. It's already engraved with the finest blessing in the world. But if you could design circuits for other prosthetics, though, that would be appreciated. There happen to be people who need them."

"Like Nehat?" Ian casually interjected while continuing to sort items alongside Elia.

Miguel nodded readily and smiled. "My arm must've made quite an impression on her. She kept sneaking glances at it during the journey here, so I asked her about it. She accepted the idea immediately."

A dry laugh escaped Ian. "A beastfolk with a steel prosthetic arm...."

It wasn't difficult to imagine Nehat with a metal prosthetic fitted with steel claws. With her gray fur, it would even suit her surprisingly well.

"Besides, there are several other beastfolk who badly injured their hands or arms during the battle. Since we're doing this anyway, I plan to ask for theirs as well."

Ohara nodded. "Prosthetics for beastfolk.... That's unique. I like it. Understood. I'll come up with suitable circuits."

A peculiar spark of life had already appeared in her eyes.

Turning toward Ian, Miguel continued with a grin, "And once enchanted equipment starts being produced, the barbarian warriors will be thrilled as well. After all, brother, you're the Great Warrior of Thunder and Lightning, aren't you? Maybe obtaining the Gray Magic Tower was fate itself—"

Clicking his tongue, Ian cut him off. "Quit talking nonsense and go bring the lieutenants."

Looking up at Miguel with a completely expressionless face, as though he had never smiled at all, he added, "We're going to distribute the magical artifacts and relics we've sorted."

Startled, Miguel quickly lowered his gaze to the floor. "Got it. I was wondering what kind of mess all this was supposed to be. So that's why."

Looking toward Ohara, Ian jerked his head toward the door. "Exclude anyone who already has a relic. Distribute the rest as evenly as possible among the others. And tell Charlotte to start preparing for departure once she's had enough rest."

"I'll do that. And don't forget we still have to hold the funeral before sunset. You're the one who's supposed to officiate it," Miguel added the reminder

As Ian nodded, Ohara opened the door. She had only just turned to leave with Lily when Miguel suddenly stopped at the doorway.

"There's something I'd like to ask."

As Ohara blinked in confusion, he smacked his lips and tilted his head toward Lily.

"Is there any way to restore what this kid lost?"